Measuring residual renal function in dialysis patients: can we dispense with 24-hour urine collections?

Residual renal function is associated with improved survival and quality of life for dialysis patients. Whereas residual renal function is monitored in peritoneal dialysis patients, many hemodialysis centers simply concentrate on achieving dialyzer urea clearance targets. Accurately quantifying residual renal function from urine collections is arduous. Thus, there is a clinical need to develop alternative methods of assessing residual renal function based on serum testing, especially for patients receiving less than thrice weekly dialysis.